Compact & easy-to-use Bono composter fits in small spaces

Composting at home can seem like a daunting proposition for beginners. Maybe you're afraid of potential smells, or don't have some backyard space to put in a larger composter away from the house. In any case, composting can actually be quite easy -- given a bit of effort, choosing the right process (maybe worms? or a bokashi bucket?) and perhaps selecting a smaller composter that can fit right on your kitchen counter.

Featured on Designboom, Polish designer Ala Sieradzka's Bono is a compact countertop composter that's made out of spun and powder-coated aluminum, coming with a lid and base of expanded cork. Here's the designer creating the prototype:

There are holes in the lid for increased ventilation, helping to speed the process of decomposition along, and also to give the worms some air (they're optional). At the bottom of the container are drainage holes, which drain down to a metal plate that is hidden via a pull-out drawer in the cork base.

To start, one has to line the bottom with some newspaper, sprinkle some soil, then more newspaper scraps, and layer on food scraps as they are made. One can collect rich humus within a couple of months, and in the meantime, any compost juices can be used to water your plants.

While one can also use any old container to start composting, even as a prototype Bono is admittedly quite an attractive alternative to a regular plastic bin. The extra clever features, such as the liquid collection dish, are a useful bonus. No word on whether it'll be commercially available soon, but easy-to-use, compact composters like this one may win reluctant composting converts over much sooner. More over at Ala Sieradzka.